Merlot is a half-sibling of Malbec, with which it shares one parent. It almost certainly comes from the Bordeaux region where it is employed as a blending agent on both banks of the Gironde. Its name is thought to come from the French for blackbird (merle), a creature that has a particular penchant for the fruit. Merlot has become a truly international variety, but is a great deal more interesting in less torrid climates in which its tendency for flabbiness is controlled.
